Thank You A Simple Reply
by Ela-Pace
Summary: Sasukes last day in Konoha. If he left the day after his fight with Naruto. This is the story of what happened. What he was saying thank you for. And how Hinata ties into it all. I suck at summaries. One shot. R&R Not romance.


**Disclaimer**I'm sad to say I still don't own Naruto and Kakashi is still not for sale. Oh woe is me. **Side note:** Most of my work is confusing. I've tried really hard to make this less puzzling but I make you no promises. Still I hope you enjoy. Oh. At the end you should know I've assumed because Hinata is quite and can sometimes go unnoticed that she is extremely good when it comes to stealth. It also helps that Sakura is cry, but you'll understand when you get there.

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**Hinata POV**

She ran. She couldn't stay there. If they wanted a strong leader she would try but that's not what they wanted. The clan wanted a clod leader. _Cold and… Heartless._ That was something she couldn't be. Something she wouldn't be. She ran and tried to find a place to hide. A place the Hyūga wouldn't look. There was no place in Konoha that was safe, except one. No Hyūga would dear step foot there. It was here only option.

**Flash Back**

"I'm not… weak." She tried to shack the idea out of her head.

"That's not what farther said." _I know what he said._

"He wishes Neji would have finished you off.

"I… I…" _I know. _She lowered her head. _But… I'm not weak._ "I… I'm…I'm getting better." It was more of a question then a fact, and her sister had an answer.

"You're the weakest one in the whole clan"

"I am getting better." She tried to sound confident. It almost worked, she didn't stutter or hesitate, but her voice was still shacking. She tried not to, but when her sister began to laugh she couldn't stop her eyes from filling with tears. It took every prop of strength she had to look her younger sister in the eyes. "I can get better."

The stood in silence for a while Hinata was waiting for her sisters next cold remake. She knew it would be worst then all the others. Hanabi took a step closer and Hinata tried to brace herself.

"Hinata… the day you become leader." she took another step. They were less then five inches apart. "Will be the saddest day in Hyūga history."

She let out a sigh of relief. This was nothing new. Those worlds were whispered throw out the Hyūga manor all her life. "**Everyone** wishes Neji would have killed you." It hurt to hear her sister saying it, but again this was nothing new. "You made use all look bad. Losing to a member of the branch family. " That last line was spoken with disgust.

**End Flash Back**

She hoped over the gates with ease. She never slowed her pace she just keep running. She was the first Hyūga in over 70 years to step foot on Uchiha soil.

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**Sasuke POV**

Sometimes it was a habit he couldn't shake. Or a ritual he couldn't live with out. Or even a drug, he used to numb any feelings he couldn't suppress. This time it was different. Sasuke Uchiha was back home (or what use to be his home) for one reason and one reason only. To make remind himself why he had to this.

He spent hours walking throw the halls of the place he use to love. He ran his hands along the walls and forced his mind not to think of the blood that once cover them. He made his way to the place he needed to be. The place where everything (or at least his carefree childhood) had ended.

He sat in the spot he had been torched in. He relived the images his brother had forced into his head, that night. The ones that made up his nightmares. The bloody pitchers of his parents floated in front of his eyes. The sound of their screams filled his ears. He could even smell the horrible sent of death as his brothers words echoed in his head. Telling him to run.

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**Hinata POV**

She knew she shouldn't be here but it was the only place she could hide. And what did it matter if anyway. She ran to the man made lake and speed across the water. She twirled the Kunai in her had. Who would care if more blood were spilled on this land? No one. Except maybe the last Uchiha resident and he would just be annoyed that it was the blood of a Hyūga. To add insult to injury, it would the blood of the most useless one.

She put the tip of the Kunai to her wrist and just held it there. She put some Pressure on the tip of blade, just enough to break the skin. She dropped the blade and watched a red liquids bubble.

Her younger sisters words echoed in her head. _Everyone…_ Everyone wanted her dead. She picked up the Kunai and started again.

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**Sasuke POV**

Sasuke walked out the Manor still confused. He knew he had to leave. It was the only way. He just couldn't push away the last bit of doubt. That one nagging thing telling him he had to stay. He took a deep breath and walked down the path that led to main gate. _Let it go._ Even if he couldn't push it out of his mind, he refused to walk around looking confused and pathetic. _We have Naruto for that._

He made it to the gate one turned around to take one last look at the place he once called home. The Once great Uchiha Manor was now nothing more then an abandoned burial ground. At least that's what he told himself ever time he left. The place was abandoned but it didn't look it. No one would come here except him. That was the only thing that brought him back.

The solitude and isolation was what keep him sane. The images he saw in this place are what keep in going. It' was sad but he know her live off of anger. _I have to go._ He said it repeatedly, but part of him didn't want to leave. Not because of the village or even his teammates but of because this forsaken death ground he once loved. It was all he had left. _I have to go._ The past was always something he could never leave behind. But this time he would try. He closed his eyes and took another deep breath.

His eyes shot open and ran toward the lake. There was a chakra signal coming from there. Who ever it was didn't belong here. This was his place and only one person had ever been allowed there. And that one person was away one was away on a mission.

**No POV**

He cut across the paths, ran throw the courtyard and flow over the lake to land on the edge of a small Island. He found the source of the chakra signal. _What the hell is she doing here?_ He' couldn't remember the last time someone from her clan was her.

He was behind her so he couldn't see what she was doing. Whatever it was made her to distracted to notice he was there. He walked up behind and just looked over her. She had a kunai in one hand and it looked like she was poking her self with it. At first he wanted to attack who ever it was that invaded his space now, he just wanted to know what she was doing. So he asked her. "What hell are you doing?"

She jumped causing her to drop the Kunai and fall backwards on to his legs. Her face turned bright red and her hands were trembling.

"I…I…I…was… I"

"Forget it." It was clear what she was doing now. Exactly what he thought. He had a new question. "Why would you come here?"

"I was…. Running …and I … Sorry." She lowered her head. He wondered how she ever had a conversation if she couldn't even say more then two words without pausing or stuttering.

"Didn't your clan ban you from coming here?" she nodded. He noticed the drops that fell from on her lap. At first he just looked at her. He wasn't use to crying and didn't really no what else to do, so he decided to take a seat and wait it out.

**6 minutes later**

She finally stopped crying and looked up. She gave him a look he could only assume meant why are you here.

"I live here, or did." He looked at her and waited for her to finish wiping her eyes. "Why are you here?"

She jumped to her feet. "I... I'm sorry." He just shrugged. "I'll… I'll leave… now."

"Umm… Do don't have to leave." He looked out at the lake and sighed. "I really don't care any more." She sat down and he asked his question again. "Why are you here?"

"I… You were… right" He had no idea what she was talking about but he didn't care. She said he was right, and that was good enough for him. "We were… forbidden…for coming… but… this was … the only place."

"You're running from something." It wasn't a question but she nodded her head anyway. He didn't question her. He knew it was fun to be question about something you were trying to escape. He remembered the night the ANBU questioned him about Itachi. It wasn't a night he wanted to relive.

"Why are you talking to me?" she looked down. "I mean… you … you don't even talk to… your teammates." He shrugged. They had barely said five words to each other but if she considered that talking. It was fine by him.

"I don't know…. I'm leaving soon." She looked at him. "Tonight."

"Uh." She didn't understand.

"I'm leaving?" She couldn't tell if he was asking her or himself. Until he started nodding. "Tonight." He looked out a t he water. "I have to."

She didn't get it." What… do you… me-." It finally hit her. "Why?"

It took awhile for him to find the words but in time he did.

"You want to prove you're not weak… " He was nodding. "Useless. To be stronger… then him." She didn't understand he wasn't talking to her anymore. She tried to follow the conversation anyway.

"You're… not weak." He completely forgot she was there. " They say… you're still the best rookie… and you're…. the strongest… one on you're team."

He laughed. "I'm not sure of that…" He thought about his last fight with Naruto. "Not any more." He shook his head." he shook the thought out of his head. "Any way the kind of strength I need isn't here" He looked over his shoulder at the Uchiha Manor. "I have to beat him."

"Who?" For the second time today he forgot about her.

He looked at her a long time. He didn't know what brought her here but it didn't really matter. He looked at her wrist. There were little cuts on it. He looked at the Kunai in her hand. It had a small amount of blood on it.

"Don't do that." She slid her wrist from view and put her head down. "It'll prove them right." Curiosity got the best of him. "Why would you kill yourself anyway?"

"They… don't want me… to be… " She looked at her feet" I'm next… and."

He laughed again but he wasn't laughing at her. He was laughing because he knew it would take forever if he let her tell the story herself. "Someone doesn't think you're good enough to lead the clan." She nodded. "So who is it?" She mumbled everyone.

"Well…prove them wrong." She looked at him like it was the dumbest thing she'd ever heard. He thought that look was strictly to be given to Naruto by Sakura. "What?"

"I can't… do it."

"Just like you couldn't stand up at the to sweet old Neji?" She looked confused. "Sakura spent most of that week tell me what happened."

The sat in silence until the sun began to set. He stood up and looked around. "I have to go." She went to stand up too. "You can stay." He started to walk away.

"Wait." He turned to look at her." Be… Before you go." She started playing with her finger. "Please think about it. You can never… come back."

"You too." He looked the Kunai (which was now on the ground). "If you decide to stick around… you should know Naruto is really dumb." Her face turned bright red. "He'll never know unless you tell him." He walked away and called over his shoulder. "It's kinda like the way the kid with the dog feels about you."

"You…you mean… Kiba?" He just waved and kept walking.

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**Later That Night**

He stood at the gates of Konoha with a sobbing Sakura at his feet. He turned to walk away when he notices Hinata standing not to far away. He tried to read her face, which was easy to do. She looked sad and disappointed. She looked between him and Sakura. She forced a smile and whispered the words "Good Luck" before quickly walking away. He whispered thank you in return and did the same.

Sakura was so wrapped in her own tears she never notice Hinata. And she never understood that he wasn't thanking her for anything.

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Thanks for reading. Please tell me what you think. If this story has the same success as my other work, I'll be trilled. But if has the same number of reviews…I think I may cry. Please review. - Ela


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